we are in close contact with countries like jordan who immediately border syria and israel who is already having grave concerns as we do, for example, about movement of chemical weapons that might occur in such a chaotic atmosphere. and that could have an impact not just within syria but on the region as a whole. i'm encouraged to see that the syrian opposition created an umbrella group that may have more cohesion than they've had in the past. we're going to be talking to them, my envoys will be traveling to various meetings that will be taking place with the international community and opposition. we consider them a legitimate representative of the aspirations of the syrian people. we're not yet prepared to recognize them as some sort of government in exile. but we do think that it is a broad-based representative group. one of the questions we're going to continue to press is making sure that that opposition is committed to a democratic syria, an inclusive syria, a moderate syria. we have seen extremist elements insinuate themselves into the opposition. and one of the things that we have